title: Precancerous lesions of the pancreas.
abstract: Pancreatic cancer has a very poor prognosis, with a five year survival of only 5%. New studies have shown that it takes over 11 years for cells to develop invasive capability. This provides an opportunity to intervene if precursor lesions can be detected. This paper reviews the molecular, pathological, clinical findings and management of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN), intraductal pancreatic mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) and mucinous cystic neoplasm (MCN), three precursor lesions which can give rise to invasive carcinoma of the pancreas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy; Department of Pathology, Ospedale Sacro Cuore-Don Calabria, Via don Sempreboni, 5, Negrar, 37024 Verona, Italy. giuseppe.zamboni@sacrocuore.it
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zamboni
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hirabayashi
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Castelli
authors.forename: Anne Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Lennon
mesh_terms: D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000473:pathology*; D021441:Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / Q000473:pathology*; D018291:Cystadenoma, Mucinous / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000473:pathology*